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': W. H. MASTERMAN. BRAKE LEVER- No. 542,088. Patented July 2, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT @i nicnb WVILLIAM l-l'. MASTERMAN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO W. MJRANK, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAKE-LEVER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,088, dated July 2, 1895. Application filed November 8, 1894. Serial No. 528,209. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. lVIASTER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Brake-Levers; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a novel brake-lever which is applicable to street or other cars or in other places where such a lever can be used.

It consists in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained 'by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

r 5 which Figure 1 isa view of my lever drawn back to release the brake. Fig. 2 shows it thrown forward in readiness to apply the brake. Fig. 3 is a side view.

The object of my invention is to'provide a compound lever the parts of which are so arranged that the first movement of the lever will rapidly take up any slack in the brakechain or other connections and bring the 2 5 brake-shoe into contact with the wheel, after which a continuation of the movement of the lever acts more slowly and with greater power to produce the requisite pressure.

A is the brake-lever, which is pivoted or fulcrumed upon the pin B. This pin is fitted into a box C, having cast or formed integral with it a bracket or extension D, and through the lower end of this bracket passes a pin E upon which a roller F turns loosely.

The portion of the lever A below its fulcrum-pin B is curved into the form of a segment A, and this segment partially incloses the roller F. To the lower end of the segment A is pivoted the upper end of a lever G, and from the lower end of this lever a chain or connecting-rod H extends to connect with the brake-beam or the lever operating it in the usual manner for applying brakes.

From a point near the fulcrum-pin I where 5 the lever G connects with the lower end of A a curved segmental arm J projects so as to partially inclose the roller F, as shown in Fig. 1. Beyond the end of the segmental portion this arm extends in a straight line, as shown at J, and this portion forms such an angle with the lever G that after the latter is thrown forward far enough to move the segmental portion J around the roller F the straight portion J will then travel in contact with the periphery of the roller, and thus maintain the lever G in its then relative position with the lever A A, so that it moves in unison therewith for the remainder of the stroke.

K is a curved toothed rack adapted to be engaged by a pawl L, pivoted to the brake-1e 6o ver A in the usual manner, and to thus retain the brake-lever when it is thrown backward for the purpose of applying the brake.

When the lever stands as shown in Fig. 1, the parts will occupy the relative position therein shown, the roller F being inclosed between the inner curve of the segment A of the lever and the inner curveof the segment J of the lever G. As soon as the lever A is moved backward it begins to draw the seg- 7o mental portion A, which is belowits fulcrumpin, forward, and this, drawing upon the lever G, causes the concave portion of the segment J to move around the roller F, thus turning the lever G about its pivot-pin I. This draws 7 5 the lower end of the lever G and straightens out and takes up any slack in the connecting chain or rod H and intermediate parts, moving the brake-shoe into contact with the wheel or surface to which it is to be applied. The first movement of the segment or are J about the roller F causes a rapid independent movement of the lever-arm G forwardly around its pivot-pin I upon the lever A by reason of the form of the arm J, and this straightens out the chain and takes up any slack in the parts connecting with the brake. When this position has been reached, the levers A A and G will then be in the position shown in Fig. 2, the lever G being thrown approximately into line with A by the before-described move ment of the are or segment J around the roller F when it was drawn forward. This brings the straight portion J approximately beneath the roller F and in such position that 5 the continued movement of the lever A, still moving the portion A, causes the straight portion J to travel in contact with the roller, and thus cause the lever G to continue its movement forward at the same rate of speed with A and as if it was fixed thereto, the movement then being at the same rate of speed that it would have if it was simply an extension of said lever.

By forming the bracket D as a portion of the box 0 the fulcrum-pins of the lever A and of the roller F are always maintained in the same relative position to each other and there is little chance of the apparatus getting out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A brake lever movable about a fulcrum pin, an extension lever pivoted to its lower end and having its own lower outer end connected with the brake mechanism, a curved arm projecting from the side 'of the second lever, a bearing fixed with relation to the curve of said arm so that when the levers are moved forward, it will act to cause the supplemental lever to travel more rapidly than the main one.

2. A brake lever turning about the stationary fulcrum pin, an extension lever having one end pivoted to the lower end of the main one, and its own outer end connected with the brakemechanism, a curved arm or segment extending from the second lever having a straight extension at its outer end, a roller journaled upon a stationary pin with relation to the levers, so that the curved segment ineloses and bears upon it, when the levers are thrown backward to release the brake, said segment traveling about the roller when the levers are thrown forward so as to move the supplemental extension rapidly about the pin which connects it with the main lever during the first portion of its travel, while the straight portion of the extension arm travels in contact with the roller during the remainder of the forward movement.

3. A main and supplemental lever pivoted together below the fulcrum pin of the main lever, the supplemental lever having a curved arm or segment with a straight extension from the outer end thereof adapted to travel in contact with a fixed roller, a journal-box supporting the fulcrum pin of the main lever and a bracket extension formed as a part thereof having the fulcrum pin of the roller fixed at its lower end.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM H. MASTERMAN.

WVitnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, GEO. H. STRONG. 

